From 'Mementoes of the Martyrs' : "...which provoked a Frenchman who was there to comment on the strange ways of the English, "those who are for the pope are hanged, those who are against him are burned:" Saint John-Paul II wrote: "The fact that one can die for the faith shows that other demands of the faith can also be met." Cardinal Müller says, “For the real danger to today’s humanity is the greenhouse gases of sin and the global warming of unbelief and the decay of morality when no one knows and teaches the difference between good and evil.” St Catherine of Siena said, “We've had enough exhortations to be silent. Cry out with a thousand tongues - I see the world is rotten because of silence.” Chesterton said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Brethren, Wake up!

This week sees the release in London of a new film of the life of the Carmelite Monastery in Notting Hill, a short journey from the Conventual Church, and probably well known to many of us. The title is "No Greater Love".

The film is a spiritual meditation, in much the same way as the 2005 film "Into Great Silence", which received such wide and unexpected audiences.

Professed members of the Order of Malta (those who have taken religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience) met for an international conference last weekend, Low Sunday, at Merton College Oxford, in the presence of His Most Eminent Highness the Prince and Grand Master. The Prelate of the Order, Archbishop Acerbi, and members of Sovereign Council were also present.

The liturgy and music were provided by the resources of our Conventual Church, and celebrated by the Prelate and Chaplains of the Order from various countries.

On the final day, Sunday Mass was celebrated by Bishop Kenney, auxiliary of Birmingham.

The new icon of Our Lady of Philermo (photographed above on the College's 14th Century lectern), a full-size copy of the original icon, the work of a icon-painter in Bulgaria, and an anonymous gift to the Grand Priory for the Conventual Church in London, was blessed before Mass on Friday by Monsignor Acerbi.

Photographs of the weekend may be found at the links below, courtesy of James Bradley and Serge de Radzitzky, to whom we are extremely grateful.

The last day of our Easter retreat, the glorious culmination of the solemn celebration of the Passion, as we celebrate our Salvation in the dark of the night with Our Blessed Lord's Resurrection in the first hours of Easter Day.

We are very grateful to the several people who took the photographs which form the reports of the past four posts upon the Triduum ceremonies. Remember also to scroll down to the short video clip of the Vigil, or click here; we are told there are some others, and they will be added to that post in due course.

The office of Matins and Lauds, which is by ancient tradition conjoined on these three sacred days into the office known as 'Tenebrae', or 'shadows', a word rich in symbolism, reflecting both the nocturnal hour at which it was customarily chanted, the gradual extinguishing of the lights, and the sadness and desolation of Creation during these days of Our Lord's Passion, was sung in choir on the three days. Images of the Office of Good Friday are below.

The candles of the hearse, one for each of 14 psalms, are extinguished during the repeat of each antiphon. During the Benedictus on Thursday and Saturday (on Friday the altar is bare) the altar candles are gradually put out. The term 'hearse' survives in the modern church to describe this sloping candlestick, and refers to the similar shaped stands which were customarily used for the many candles placed around the coffin at funerals until the 19th century.

The Sacred Triduum was celebrated in the Conventual Church in the Extraordinary Form. Below are photographs of the Mass of the Lord's Supper. The celebrant is the Principal Chaplain to the Grand Priory, Msgr Antony Conlon, with Dr Lawrence Hemming, deacon, and Fr Gareth Jones, Subdeacon.

It is a well-known fact that ours is an international Order with 46 National Associations, 5 Grand Priories and 6 Sub Priories across the world.

This was brought home to us in a special way at the Sunday Mass yesterday when we were joined by two Polish confreres who sat in choir. They had come to the Conventual Church as members of the Order to pray for the souls of those of their countrymen including their country’s President who had been killed the day before in the Katin air crash. Not only that, they said, but also to support their British confreres in their Conventual Church and to pray for the patients in the Hospital and Hospice.

We were delighted to have them with us even in such sad circumstances and their witness to Tuitio Fidei was inspirational. We especially remember the people of Poland at this time and those whose lives were lost and assure them of our prayers.

Requiescant in pace.

Our Lady of Częstochowa, pray for them.Our Lady of Philermo, pray for them.

Images of the Scared Liturgies of the Triduum will be posted in due course.

In the meantime, here is a short video clip from the Offertory of the Easter Vigil in the Conventual Church, with the Principal Chaplain, Mgr Antony Conlon, as celebrant. The music is Taverner's 'Dum Transisset Sabbatum'.

PRAYER OF THE ORDER OF MALTA

Lord Jesus, Thou hast seen fit to enlist me for Thy service among the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. I humbly entreat Thee through the intercession of the most holy Virgin of Philermo, of St John the Baptist, Blessed Gerard and all the Saints, to keep me faithful to the traditions of our Order. Be it mine to practise and defend the Catholic, the Apostolic, the Roman faith against the enemies of religion: be it mine to practise charity towards my neighbours, especially the poor and the sick; Give me the strength I need to carry out this my resolve, forgetful of myself, learning ever from Thy holy Gospel a spirit of deep and generous Christian devotion, striving ever to promote God’s glory, the world’s peace, and all that may benefit the Order of St John of Jerusalem. AMEN